Hand of Blood
by Lucifer's Arch Angel
Summary: Mest up creation of bordum, SouXMisao, and B.F.M.V. Review if you want me to continue.
1. 4 words to choke uponHand of blood

Hello people

Rated: T/M

Hello people! Me bein' me (major B.F.M.V. and SouXMisao fan) I have put my obsessions together and here it is! A messed up interpretation of 'Hand of Blood' (the album). My first posted fic. But no reviews can be as bad as my own so, review as seen fit. Some parts might not come with a song.

Disclaimer: I own cds and manga not rights!

_Thoughts_ "Speech"

Betrayed one more time  
But somewhere down that line  
You're gonna get what's coming to you

Look at me now  
(Look at me now)  
Look at me now

Pull the knife from my back  
Soon I'm the one that's on attack  
I can't wait to return the favor

Look at me now  
(Look at me now)  
Look at me now!

Too many times I've seen it rip a hole into our friendship  
This is how it's been  
How it always will be  
You think you're above me? (You think you're above me!)  
But now I'm here to envy  
FOUR WORDS TO CHOKE UPON

Look LOOK at me now!

Betrayed one more time  
But somewhere down that line  
You're gonna get what's coming to you

Look at me now  
(Look at me now)  
Look at me now

Pull the knife from my back  
Soon I'm the one that's on attack  
Can't wait to return the favor

Look at me now  
(Look at me now)  
Look at me now

Too many times I've seen it rip a hole into our friendship  
This is how it's been  
How it always will be  
You think you're above me? (you think you're above me!)  
But now I'm here to envy  
FOUR WORDS TO CHOKE UPON

Look LOOK at me now!

Oh!

Too many times I've seen it rip a hole into our friendship!  
Four words to choke upon

Too many times I've seen it rip a hole into our friendship  
This is how it's been  
How it always will be  
You think you're above me? (you think you're above me!)  
But now I'm here to envy  
FOUR WORDS TO CHOKE UPON

Look LOOK at me now!

Misao stared down at the blank, unmarked headstone. Everyone around thought she'd be balling her eyes out over it. She had at first when he'd bin close to death, but now… Now not a single tear escaped.

"Misao, come we've no reason to be here any longer," Aoshi's dim monotone, hung in the stale air. No one moved until Misao rose.

Even in Aoi-ya the mood didn't change. The depressing atmosphere remained. Most would have thought the place had been deserted. Everyone went about their chores per usual only now not even the wind spoke through the chimes.

It took less then half a month for Misao to finally crack.

"How can he have left us like this!?" she screamed. Tears flowed freely now, the anger too.

"Misao, calm down please," Okon pleaded," It's not his fault, you know that. He was just... he just got… It's what happens when people get old," she finally managed.

"Don't gimme that baby shit! He was strong he could have fought i…" she was cut off sharply.

"Go find something else to do, Okon," Aoshi said never taking his eyes off Misao once she was gone he spoke again," "Misao, stop this at once!"

"Why!? Does it hurt you too? Of course it fucking wouldn't, you too much of a fucking statue!" Misao shouted back.

Aoshi rounded on Misao," No one wanted him to die, Misao. I doubt he wanted to go ether. His death was no one's fault."

Misao stayed silent, her anger building. Her fists bailed so tight they bleed from her nails.

Aoshi continued," Nothing's going to bring him back, and he doesn't want you to dwell on his de…"

"You're one to talk!" she screamed, cutting him off," After Han'nya and the rest died you turned into a fucking monster! How's that for _'not dwelling on it'_!"

"This isn't the same!" his own temper was rising.

"Oh yeah! How the hell is it different!? Wait, now I remember their deaths were because YOU thought it would be a good idea to team up with a fucking drug-de…"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

"WHY?! BECAUSE IT HURT'S TO HEAR THE TRUTH!?"

"Misao listen to me for five seconds…" he tried to calm down.

"No you listen to me! YOU betrayed the onwiban to that drug-pushin' pig. YOU almost killed him the first time! And now guess who the Okishira is! Me! YOU listen to ME!"

"Misao, don't," he began, as she walked to her bed room.

She glared over her shoulder, tears still running down her face," It was your fault. If you hadn't turned into a fucking monster, then he'd be here, he COULD have fought," with that she turned and left.

I know it's a little confusing but, it'll stop later.

There goes my valentine again  
Soaked in red for what she said  
And now she's gone

Oh my god have i done it again  
there's a pulse and its deafening.  
I can't help what i hear in my head  
it's the switch that i flick when he says

Hand of blood, i don't wanna feel, my heart is breaking  
Hand of blood, i don't wanna see, my life is burning

I saw you look away  
Is what you've seen too much to take  
Or are you blind and seeing nothing , I saw you run  
I saw you run away  
is what I've done too much to take or are you scared of being nothing

There's a stain on my hand and it's red  
oh my god am i losing it  
I can't help what I've done or i said  
It's the buttons i push when he says

Hand of blood, i don't wanna feel, my heart is breaking  
Hand of blood, i don't wanna see, my life is burning

I saw you look away  
Is what you've seen too much to take,  
Or are you blind and seeing nothing, I saw you run  
I saw you run away,  
Is what I've done too much to take or are you scared of being nothing

I saw you look away  
Is what you've seen too much to take, or are you blind and seeing nothing?  
I saw you run  
I saw you run away,  
is what I've done too much to take or are you scared of being nothing

Life had diffidently changed. From a never ending massacre to unnervingly calm. Soujiro had never thought much of hell but, he was sure he'd be more comfortable there then where he was now. The small town just east of Kyoto was, for lack of a better word, utterly boring. He hadn't expected it to be so easy. Only three people could or would expose his identity (the ex-juppongatana wouldn't say a word) and frankly he'd been looking forward to a cat and mouse game. It had gotten to the point he could practically hear his new sword crying. He did like the town, everyone there knew him and he would gladly help them but it was still painfully quiet. Well until that day.

He walked with his usual seemingly unguarded gate picking up bits of news here and there. One particularly peculiar bit made him stop and listen more carefully.

"Di' ya hear? Ther's some suppos' to be a monster on du lose," a man whispered to his friends.

"Yeah, demon's what I hear. Faster den lightin' and eviler den da devil 'imself," his friend whispered back.

"I heard it's just some convict. The Tokyo police sent a message to da police hear. Think they called 'im Tenken."

At the third mans statement Soujiro started to walk a bit faster away. The rest of the day passed inconsequential. The news spread but, not much happened. He calmed back down after a wile, but nothing's ever that simple.

He began his trek back to back to one of the old hide outs that he'd been using for some time when his over sensitive ears picked up on some less then comforting voices.

"Come on girlie. We ain't gonna hurt ya. We just wanna play a game."

_God damn drunks_ He sighed and turned toward the noise knowing it wouldn't end well. He found them easily and sure enough three large, dirty and very drunken men stood surrounding a very frightened girl only around 12 or 13 years old.

"I don't think she wants to play any games with you," he said in an oddly cheery voice for such not so cheery circumstances.

"Leave hero boy. We don't wanna share," the biggest of the men said, trying and failing to seem intimidating and not drunk.

"Yeah," another sneered," move or be moved," at this all of them drew well hidden weapons.

Soujiro felt his sanity slip then. He hadn't had a fight in the year he'd spent traveling and his more violent side wouldn't let this chance slip. He didn't know what he was doing. Blood was all. The only thing he could see. The salty, metallic tang filled the air. The sickening sounds of metal breaking bone, ripping flesh and men and women's screams split the air turning the night into a blood bath. He couldn't help but love the feeling of blood on his skin. Sounds that would make everyone else run in terror fueled him to do more. When he returned to the real world he felt people watching him. The screams had woken the town and now people stood holding their children so they wouldn't see, some backed away, others stared on in horror.

_What? Is it that bad?_

He turned and surveyed the bloody seen. The mangled bodies of both the attackers and the victim lay unrecognizable. Blood splattered the walls of surrounding buildings. He recognized the seen, it didn't bother him, but he could feel the hate and fear radiating off the crowd behind him.

He finally turned again and smiled," Sorry." Then he was gone.

This part's song is from 'The Poison'

I see you walking home alone  
your face is alive and bright  
but you can't see how weak you are 'cause i could end it tonight  
it's the feeling you get when you think that someone behind is watching you  
well i can tell you know that someone is me

Don't scream i ask of you but then you let one out  
so now its time to go  
I come down on you like a ton of bricks  
all over so it's time to go  
Why do you take it all?  
Why do i beg for more?  
I never thought that this is how I'd hit the floor  
Why do you take it all?  
Why do i beg for more?  
I never thought that this is how I'd hit the floor HIT THE FLOOR  
Whoa oh  
Whoa oh  
Whoa oh  
Whoa oh  
Why do you take it all?  
Why do i beg for more?  
I never thought that this is how I'd hit the floor  
Why do you take it all?  
Why do i beg for more?  
I never thought that this is how I'd HIT THE FLOOR!  
Take this from me, I don't wanna hurt you  
Take this from me, I DON'T WANNA HURT YOU!

Misao sprinted away from the place she once called home but, now called hell. She sprinted away from the anger and the truth. She sprinted away from _him._ She sprinted till she collapsed. As she fell someone chuckle behind her. With what little energy she had left she rolled over and sat up. At first she glared at man who stood staring at her with an amused look on his face, the glare disappeared when she registered the copper smell radiating off him and sticky red liquid he was covered in. Blood. She stared now wide eyed at him. She recognized the empty smile that never reached his bright cobalt eyes. The messy dark brown hair and the lake of presence he had, like a ghost the only evidence he was really there was his physically being.

_Tenken no Soujiro._

He easily read the fear written freely on her face," Please don't scream. I don't wish to be caught and you 'd have trouble as we…"

Too late, she'd heard the _'people after'_ part and gave a long, loud whistle. She felt his hand over her mouth a split second later. She glared at him, he just smiled back.


	2. Cries in VainCurses

Hi people

Hi people. Finally got back to this one. A little fic crazy at the moment. Too many of 'em in my head note enough file space. It starts to be like the song later on.

Disclaimer: Two words for you 'DON'T OWN!'

Lord you know I've cried a thousand tears tonight,  
But nothing seems to quench the thirst you keep on craving,  
But now i need an answer to my prayers and you're not there,  
So why I think you listen, listen.

Has no one told you, your cries are all in vain,  
And everyone keeps trying to take that all away,  
Has no one told you, your cries are all in vain,  
Your cries.

Lord I can't disguise the look inside my eyes,  
The more I try to look away the more I'm staring,  
But now i need an answer to my prayers and your not there,  
So why I think you listen, listen.

Has no one told you, your cries are all in vain,  
And everyone keeps trying to take that all away,  
Has no one told you, your cries are all in vain,  
Your cries.

Your cries in vain  
Your cries in vain  
Your cries in vain  
Your cries in vain  
I look away

Has no one told you, your cries are all in vain,  
And everyone keeps trying to take that all away,  
Has no one told you, your cries are all in vain,  
Your cries.

Has nobody told you when you look away,  
The stories they told you still run through your veins  
Has nobody told you when you look away,  
The stories they told you still run through your (run through your) veins

"Please don't do that," he repeated," it'd be bad for the both of us."

She opened her mouth to speak but the instant she tasted the blood on his hand she stopped.

"Are you going to do that again?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Then you'll have to deal with blood in your mouth."

She gave him a pleading look. He just gave her the same impassive smile. The pleading turned to defeat, fake defeat. Either way he took his hand from her mouth. She whistled again. His hand covered her mouth again. She didn't see him draw his sword but, sure enough it was at her throat to reinforce his plea.

"Don't do that again," he ordered, his voice had changed now it was forced, like he was holding back... He wanted to kill her.

She froze at that thought. He wanted to kill her, and was dangerously close to doing so.

"Over here!" someone shouted. Dogs barked, and leaves and twigs crunched under people's feet.

He sighed irritably, though the smile never left and his eyes should nothing," I'm sorry for this miss."

She squeezed her eyes shut, preparing for the worst, when instead she was lifted off the ground. She opened her eyes in surprise, and dearly wished she hadn't. The world whipped by in a flurry of color and light. She snapped them shut again waiting for him to run into a tree, or off a cliff, and kill them both. She didn't realize he'd stopped.

"Miss, please let go. I think you've torn a hole in my shirt."

She opened her eyes and stared. Unconsciously she knotted her hands into his shirt, when she let go there were two holes, about the size off her palms in his shirt. He put her down, on soft, sweet smelling grass, and stripped off his shirt, leaving his gi, hanging around his hips.

She slowly regained her senses, and she remembered the blood he'd been covered in. She stared down at her own clothes, blood now covered them. She gawked for a moment before looking up at him.

He gave her a rueful grin.

"You!" she seethed, tossing kunai at him.

"If you'd rather I split your head in two, keep trying to hit me," he said, now behind her, his sword pressed against her throat again.

"If you want to do it," she growled," Kill me."

He pressed the sword farther into her neck, drawing a little blood.

" Would you like to take your offer back?" he asked, when he saw her shudder at the pain, and give a whimpering plea.

She mentally shook herself and growled.

He chuckled lowly, before with-drawing his sword," Come we'll have to put something on that. I'm not going to kill you, but I don't want you dying because of a silly little cut."

She turned and glared at him again, but it was replaced by an awed look. Behind her was a huge rock face. A thin waterfall, only about as wide as one of the thin trees that surrounded the clearing. A small lake took up half the field, with slim path winding around it and under the waterfall. That's where he stood watching her and waiting. She slowly got up and walked to him, holding her neck. It was only bleeding a little, but it hurt a lot. He led her under the waterfall and into a narrow passage. The corridor opened into large room, twice as big as the valley out side it. Halls led out from the huge room, and a large grand staircase led up to another room, with more halls.

She gawked at the huge expanse," This was one of Shishio's hide-outs wasn't it?"

"Yes, one of four dozen," he answered, leading her down another hall.

"Why so many?"

"Because, each refuge is built near cities he wished to concur," he said supplely.

"Where are we now?" she asked, she still didn't trust him but her curiosity was compelling her.

"This one's the Hamamatsu hide-out, I think," he answered.

Hamamatsu... They were near Hamamatsu. She'd only just left Kyoto.

"You're kidding right?"

"Ether that or Shizuoka."

She gaped at him when he said that. It would have taken a good three maybe four days to reach there normally.

They reached a polished western door and stopped. He looked thoughtful for a moment, before nodding to himself and pulling the door open.

They entered a room that looked like a doctor's office. He went to a cupboard and pulled out a roll of bandages, before pointing to a chair.

She grudgingly sat down and let him clean and bandage her throat. An uncomfortable silence wedged between them as the day passed. She didn't leave. She actually didn't want to. She knew how lonely traveling was with-out anyone else. Even if he had almost killed her, she didn't ant to leave.

He broke the silence first," Are you planning on staying here?"

She didn't register his words at first," What?"

"Are you staying here?"

"Why not?" she answered shrugging.

"You're not afraid I'll kill you in your sleep?"

"No... You not gonna try are you?"

"No, I just think it's odd. I was ready to kill you earlier, and now you trust me not to," he said simple.

The silence started to settle again, but not before being broken again.

"You don't know my name do you?" she said.

She hadn't realized it until then. She knew his name, though she didn't use it, but he didn't know his.

"Misao, right?"

"She stared at him," How did..."

"Himura called it out when you and that little boy fell into the fight in Shingetsu," he said simple.

She didn't even remember that.

"Sit," he ordered, as he brought food to a western table set off to the side. She hadn't noticed they'd been in the lairs kitchen.

They began eating in silence, both of them thinking over the arrangement. Two former enemies staying together... What could possible go wrong?

"Why didn't you kill me?" she finally asked.

"You'd rather I had?" he asked sounding somewhat amused.

"No, just you seemed like you wanted to. So why didn't you? There's nothing that could have been holding you back."

"I don't know. I did _want_ to, but I couldn't. That's all," he said, shrugging.

That was it? He could have killed her, he admitted he wanted to, too, but he just didn't. Bull-shit.

"Would you like to know were you're going to sleep?"

His comment snapped her out of her line of thought. She looked down at their food realizing they'd each finished.

"Sure," she mumbled.

He led her up the grand staircase and into a wide dimly light hall. On ether side were doors with wooden plaques over them. Each read a different name. He looked over each before stopping before another polished wood door. She looked at the name on the plaque above it. Yumi.

"Yumi-san never used this room. She slept in Shishio-sama's room, so this can be your room," he said opening the door for her.

She walked into another large room. An enormous western bed stuck out from one wall. A coach leaned against the other. The wall opposite them was home to rows of shelves full of books. A second door near the bed she guest was the closet.

"My room's next door, good night," with that he was gone.

"Yeah, night," she answered, still looking around.

--That night --

_"Stop cryin'! No one's gonna help a worthless little brat like you! Not even the Gods'll listen to you!"_

_Another hit landed, more blood. More hits. _

_"Nasty little brat."_

_..._

_"Oh, look. Soujiro's gone and broken a rake."_

_"WHAT! Gimme that. This'll teach ya, little basturd!"_

Soujiro awoke in a cold sweet. He pulled the front of hi yakata down and served the old wounds. The seven long, parallel lines that crossed his chest had healed long ago. He'd almost forgotten about the hit. His mind was snapped back to the present when he noticed his door open. Misao stood in the door frame.

"You cry out in your sleep you know," she said, watching him.

"It was nothing. Just a bad dream," he murmured.

She watched him skeptically,"whatever you say."

I know a little iffy but it'll get less confusing later on.

We've waited far too long to  
Watch it all crash and fall through  
So when you feel like shit you've got to keep on pushing  
If you saw the world through my eyes  
Then you wouldn't feel so highrise  
It's time to take our chance you've got to sit back and hold tight

There's forces working in our heads but we don't understand them  
I need a map to find my way out all the time

These curses lurking in our heads but we don't want to find it  
We need to come back down and face what we've become

We've become!!

The more i think the more I wish I'd, pushed stop then hit rewind  
What I would give to have a day back then when no one really cares

I remember when we all used to  
Kickback, take days off school  
So many times I've smiled  
Many times I've cried but never did we try, but never did we try!!

There's forces working in our heads but we don't understand them  
I need a map to find my way out all the time

These curses lurking in our heads but we don't want to find it  
We need to come back down and face what we've become

Its haunting me  
I'm so alone  
I just wanted to find my way back home  
I'm so alone

Alone!!

There's forces working in our heads but we don't understand them  
I need a map to find my way out all the time

there's curses lurking in our heads but we don't want to find it  
we need to come back down and face what we've

become!!

They'd lived at the lair for almost a month. Snow was beginning to fall and the lake out side the refuge had slowly frozen over, except for a hole caused by the still flowing water fall.

Misao took a deep breath of winter air, exhaling a large cloud mist. She smiled as snow fell here and there in fluffy, white clumps.

"Hey, Soujiro," she called, he appeared behind her.

"Hmm?"

"Why'd ya join mummy man any way?" she asked looking at him over her shoulder.

He frowned," Why do you want to know?"

"Just wondering," she said looking at the frozen lake.

"I don't see why not?" he said sitting next to her on one of the chairs they'd pulled outside.

She turned to listen.

"My mom was a courtesan," the way he said it there was no questioning his wording,"She ended up with a wealthy rice merchant. The end result, me," she could here the detest in his voice when he mentioned his father," I'm sad to say, she was good at her job, too good at it. He ended up falling in love with her. He didn't like me, and though he claimed he loved her, he refused to help her as long as she had me. You see he thought I wasn't his. When I was about, four or five years old, my mother was pregnant again. She refused to do as he said and put both I, and my unborn sibling in an orphanage... The two of them fought. I didn't see it I know there was a lot of yelling, and then it was all quiet," his eyes were distant," only he came out after the fight."

She stared at him," What was that basturd's name?!"

"You don't need to know. He's been... dealt with. Do you want to here the rest?"

She quieted and let him continue.

"He of course had a wife and family, so there was no room for his illegitimate son, so I was sent to live with his oldest son and his family. They liked me even less the he did, and made it clear each day that they detested my being alive," he pulled his shirt down showing of the glaring white marks they had given him as souvenirs of slavery. Her eyes trailed over the marks, not one from a fight, except the shallow indent from Himura's sakaboto. They caught on the rake mark. She reached out and traced the horizontal lines.

"One of their servants that worked in the rice fields broke a rake, they were afraid they'd get fired so they blamed it on me," he explained.

She gave a disgusted look at that.

"Every time they beat me and I'd cry or get angry they'd beat me more for being a brat..."

"So you just started smiling?"

"Would you like to tell the story?" he asked, raising a brow.

She went silent.

"You're right though. When they beat me and I smiled they'd stop beating me. One night when I was around eight years old they, literally, kicked me out, for not moving enough rice barrels from one warehouse to another. That night when I was washing my wounds I heard something strange and when to take a look. I saw Shishio-sama cut down two police men. That was back before his burns had healed. He wouldn't have noticed me had I not stepped on a twig. He almost killed me, but he stopped when I smiled as he was about split me in two, if I hadn't I wouldn't be here."

She shuddered at the thought.

"Instead he spared my life and in return I kept him hidden. Three days passed, police came and talked to my, technical half-brother. He told his sons, and my technical nephews asked me if I'd seen anything from being outside all that time. One of them had a bad habit of swing his sword with-out thinking, and ended up breaking the rice barrel I'd been carrying. They of course blamed me, and I was beaten, again. Shishio-sama asked me what happened, and I told him I'd been beaten, and what I told you about smiling. When I told him it was their fault..."

"It was their fault! They've no reason to beat a kid, no one does!"

"That's not the way they saw it, and not the way he saw it either. He told me it was me fault for being weak. He told me, 'In this world the weak are the sustenance of the strong. The strong live, the weak die,' after he'd told me that he gave me his wakizashi, back then it was a sword to me, he told me it was his thanks. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I left to think. Of course my brother's family needed the bandages, which I'd taken to Shishio-sama. They put two and two together, and they knew I'd been helping the 'government trader', and they were mad. They called for me so I hid the sword under the house and went to see what they wanted."

She could see him shaking, not for fear or cold, from anger. That wasn't good.

"They started beating me before deciding to kill me."

"But wouldn't they get in trouble?"

"That's what my 'niece' asked. The smarter of my nephews explained 'There's a violent traitor in hiding near by who will question one more slashed to death', then they all started shouting, I couldn't tell what it all just sounded like screaming to me. Then I remembered what Shishio-sama had told me. I got up and ran. I don't remember how long I ran from them, I just remember being under the house with the wakizashi. Only one thought went through my head the strong live, and the weak die. One of them found me. Everything went into a blur then. I remember him screaming, and then crawling out, and all off them yelling at me again. Then rain. I remember cold rain, and blood. Then Shishio-sama came out and asked me if I was crying. Back then I didn't think I was; now I know I was. I joined him after that."

She stared at him.

He'd been looking down his bangs covering his eye though the end of the story, but as he looked up he had the 'Tenken' look on his face, masking what he was feeling then.

That's when they both heard it, men yelling and dogs barking. They'd been found...


End file.
